Sleep Listening
by zaphyrus of the moon
Summary: He found her, only he didn't recognize her. But how is he going to find out who she is?A little Soujiro and Misao


I don't own Rourounin Kenshin (Samurai X)

Sleep listening

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"Ahh! What a beautiful day! The kind of day when the only thing you want to do is walk by the woods with some dumplings on your hand. Mmm… these things are the best! Rhmm… dilihshush!!"

What he didn't know was that his day was only getting better. By the road he was walking he saw someone sitting under a huge tree. The figure seems to be in deep sleep. At a glance the person seemed no more than a stranger, but looking intently at that face he could somehow tell they've met somewhere before.

"Hmm… Where have I seen that girl before? Hmm…"

He leaned forward and examined her intently. Every feature she had spoke of childish connotations. If this girl was awake she would certainly be giddy. Still, his memory wasn't doing a pretty good task at recalling.

"Soujiro, you need to quit eating sweet potatoes." He told himself with a scratch on the head. This really isn't getting him anywhere

But he wouldn't let that ruin a great day. Just because he can't remember where they met doesn't mean they're complete strangers to each other. With a face like that…

"Oh, she's cute!!" he said after a few more observations.

…she's bound to be in his memory.

But still, not a darn clue.

"Oh well!" he said. Scarfing the last of his dumplings he sat comfortably beside the mystery girl.

"I'll just have to wait for you to wake up then."

But even as he sat he made sure to have her on his full line of sight- from the tip of her toes to the last strand of her hair, he wouldn't stop starring until she's remembered.

"Surely if I can't remember you then you'd have to remember me. Or at least bits of what you know and what I know could match up to who we are to each other."

He said as if the girl he was talking to was awake.

He continued to look at her. At first, she seemed so much like a child. But judging by that strong face and well shaped body she must've been someone whose use to a lot of exercise.

"I wonder what you're like," he said, smiling, "you don't look like a push over, I give you that. But who are you to me?"

He scooted a bit closer and leaned his face forward.

"You know, if I know someone, especially as pretty as you, I wouldn't forget her. And I don't easily forget people, more so if they're important."

The girl's head turned to his direction and for a moment he thought she'd wake up. But she simply stirred, and the slumber seemed to have been undisturbed.

"Can I tell you something? I was once a person who never thought twice about anything. There's a guy, he's dead now, but what he left in me I would never forget. He made me strong, showed me the way to live, and gave me a reason to live. He gave me a way of life. He's twisted, I tell you, but that's only when you're on the other side of the board."

The sword leaning on his shoulder received a firm clutch as memories came streaming in his mind, both good ones and bad ones.

"Then I met another man. He's the complete opposite of the first guy I told you about. He's weird, unbelievably strong, and his philosophy kinda left me hanging on mid air at first, but now, well, let's just say he's the ideal person I wanna be."

As if listening, the girl's body moved a bit, closer to the boy who was speaking to her with all his heart.

"Strange, the first guy spent more time with me than the other guy, but the other guy gave me more things to remember. He completely changed me, you know? It makes me regret all my mistakes in the past. Let's see, how do I describe him- well, he's short, much like yourself, has red hair, x-mark, and had eyes that always seem to say, 'We're buddies'. He's a nice guy all the way, and everything about him attracts people. Hehehe! What am I saying? I must be nuts thinking I really know the person."

He looked at her again, anticipating a response, but nothing came.

"So," he was now beside her, with only a paper thin space between them, "enough about me, what's your story?"

Still, nothing. After realizing the stupidity of he's conversation, he went into a laughing trip which took most of his breath.

Recovering, though, he's eyes fell on her lap, and the temptation was nothing to be fought with. His head gently landed on her lap, and the comfort he felt seems to drill the fact that he really knows this girl, for him to be this comfortable that is.

"Sorry about this. I just couldn't believe I don't remember who you are. But still, here I am, using you as a cushion. I must be a bigger jerk than I thought."

He switched his position, and laid on his back. The view of her chin and the tip of her chest bid him knowledgeable of his perverse behavior.

"Would you slap me away if you're awake?" he asked.

A hand trailed on the girl's face. He felt how smooth it is and how fair her skin is against his touch.

"I wonder, if you can make me feel this comfortable when you're asleep, what more could you do when you're awake? Will you listen to me more? Will you make me feel that feeling I've been searching for all my life? Will you talk to me, tell me your thoughts, your fears, your dreams, your favorite food?"

That's when he realized he hasn't removed his hand from her cheeks yet. it was soft and bouncy, nice to the touch.

"Will you show me the color of your eyes? Will you smile to me, and make me smile back? Not that cold smile which the world has taught me to make, but the warm smile that gives affection, care and affirmation."

He didn't notice the fingers of sleep encircling him slowly. Slowly he was beginning to doze off, and a yawn from his mouth proved that. Still, the girl with him took all his attention.

"Will you," he looked at her more intensely, smiling, caring, wondering, "Will you, dare I say it…"

His hand fell from her face to the soft grass. His eyes, failing to keep him awake, gave in to the unnoticed drowsiness.

"…will you love me…"

His fading words came out like whispers in the wind, yet still perceivable.

"…and let me…love you back."

With that, he entered into dream land.

Moments later, the girl slowly opened her eyes, feeling a little weight on her legs.

"Aghh! That was a nice nap!" she said, stretching out her arms, "I should do this more ofter! What the hell-?!! Who the heck are you?"

The boy on her lap seemed ignorant at the question and continued to slumber.

"Some nerve you got, kiddo."

The thought of pushing him away drew little temptation. She didn't know why, but somehow she became lenient and leaned back on to the tree.

Then she looked at the intruder of her personal space. Something sparked up inside her.

"Hmm… that smiling face looks familiar… Hmm…"

She lowered her head and put her face closer to his. He seemed so content and peaceful, the way he smiles like that. It's probably the reason why she didn't push him away; someone who sleeps like that definitely deserves to sleep. Still, it's not getting her anywhere near to remembering who he is.

"Misao, you need to stop talking to that old geezer. He might be getting a memory gap and it could be contagious." she said to herself.

Setting that aside, she wondered what's with this stranger that took away her usual hostility to sneaky people. Is it the way he sleeps? Or is that thought-filled smile that, amazingly enough, radiates on that unconscious face?

"Hehe! He's kinda handsome."

To give a comment like that was a bit out of her character but she didn't notice. She didn't notice because she knows that face from before, she just knows it.

"Well, I guess this gives me a reason to wait for you to wake up then. It's your lucky day, boy. It's pretty rare I'd be this merciful."

What's there to be merciful about? To have someone lay his head on your lap in a way gives a sort of affirmation, that that person finds comfort with you. It's a compliment, really. She smiled sweetly at him, and absentmindedly, her hands began to soothe her head, as if rocking him to sleep.

"Can I tell you sometin? Aoshi use to do this to me when I was a kid. Oh, he's my sweetheart by the way, or at least I want him to be. Anyway, it goes back long before I could remember, when I was adopted by the group…"

Her story went on, as if she was really being listened to.

She didn't realize that she was talking to a sleeping person. She didn't realize that she was growing too comfortable with a stranger. She didn't realize that she was wanting more and more to know this stranger.

She didn't realize that slowly, her heart was falling for this boy, who, a little earlier, found himself in the same situation and ended up talking about wanting to love her.

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The end!

I hope you enjoyed that!

Merry Chrismas everyone, and happy new year!

Special thanks to

MidniteXKyuu, for inspiring me to finish this story.


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